What Is User Experience Design? Interview our UX/UI Designer, Emily Cheung!
[BY]
Gerardo Salandra
[Category]
Digital Marketing
[DATE]
May 11, 2016
User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design are pivotal in shaping how we interact with digital products, apps, and websites. While UX design focuses on optimizing the overall experience—ensuring that users can achieve their goals efficiently and enjoyably—UI design is about the look and feel, focusing on the visual elements that make these interactions intuitive and aesthetically pleasing. Together, UX/UI designers work to bridge the gap between user needs, business objectives, and technology, crafting solutions that not only meet functional requirements but also provide engaging, user-centered experiences. At New Digital Noise, Emily Cheung is at the forefront of this creative process, balancing both user needs and business goals while navigating the challenges of today’s fast-evolving digital landscape. With a diverse range of projects under her belt—from finance to F&B—Emily brings a wealth of experience to the table, constantly refining her approach to user-centered design. Now, let’s hear from Emily as she dives into her journey and shares insights on UX design.
1. For the people who don’t know about User Experience, could you please give us a short introduction?
User experience is how you feel when you interact with apps, websites, gadgets and brands, and a UX designer’s role is to optimize this interaction. What apps do you love and why? Is it because of the app’s simplicity and thoughtfulness? Are they easy to navigate and do they add value to your life? To retain your users and customers, UX design is a key business strategy to connect brands with users.
2. What are the tasks usually performed by UX designers?
As UX designers, we:
– Talk to users and business units to understand existing problems
– Conduct stakeholder research to understand business goals
– Analyse direct and indirect competitors
– Define problems, ideate features and solutions
– Create personas and user journeys
– Provide the information architecture and content planning
– Do wireframing, prototyping and user testing for iteration
3. What do you enjoy most about being a UX designer at New Digital Noise?
It is exciting to work on a wide range of projects, from finance and banking to F&B and loyalty programs, but most of all, to create value for different brands and users.
4. What are the biggest challenges?
It is most challenging to align technological decisions/constraints, business goals and user needs. Literally, “user” experience focuses on users, but it is crucial to understand how brands want to create value for users and how software engineers work. Communicating effectively with all disciplines throughout the entire UX process is key to overcoming this challenge.
5. What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned about interaction design since you started?
Don’t ask users what they want. Users might tell you what they want based on their past experience. What brands and UX designers can do is, based on the insights, explore beyond what users can imagine.
It’s also important not to assume. Don’t assume your users know something or want something. Assumption will lead to strong biases when you ask questions and generate insights. Our practice is to drop all the business goals and technological constraints in mind during user research. You might be surprised by how this can help you achieve and surpass your business goals. *wink*
6. What advice would you give to aspiring UX designers?
Observe. What problems would you want to solve in your daily life?
Understand. Talk to people about the problems and gain insights.
Start your own project and try solving the problems in your own way. Document your process.
Follow and learn from experienced UX designers on Medium, pinterest, dribbble and behance.